Device for voicing piano-hammers.



No. 696,025. Patented Mar. 25,1902.

H. E. FINNEY. DEVICE FOR VUICING PIAND HAMMERS.

(Applicaon tiled Mar. 5, 1991.)

(No Model.)

.y 19a/cm2' En ry ULM Ilya-'inn f UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

HENRY E. FINNE I' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR VOICING PIANO-HAMMERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,025, dated March 25, 1902 Application illed March 5, 1901.

To (all wwi'l/ it 112,023/ concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. FINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Voicing Piano- Hammers, of which the following` is specification.

The operation of voicing77 piano-hammers 'as generally practiced prior to my invention has consisted in inserting a needle into the hammer-pad while the hammer is manually held by the tuner. The frequent extreme compactness of the hammer-pad necessitates the exertion of a considerable degree of force on the part of the operator or tuner, and this in turn requires that the hammer shall be held immovable at the expense of considerable effort, and while thus endeavoring to hold the hammer the hammer-bar, which is usually made of wood, such as cedar, sometimes breaks, it being the experience of all tuners, so far as I have been able to ascertain, that in the course of their work quite a number of such hammer-bars have been thus broken by them.

Objects of my invention are to overcome the foregoing-mentioned objectionable feature, to utilize the combined strength of a set of hammer-bars in resisting the strain imposed upon the hammer-bar of a hammer which is being voiced, to facilitate the work of voicing piano-hammers,and to provide simple and reliable means for attaining these and other Anseful ends.

In carrying out my invention I provide a clamp device comprising a pair of clampbars adapted to engage the hammers and clamp between them a series of such hammers, the hammer-engaging clamp-bars being adjustably connected, whereby they can be relatively adj usted and also arranged to have suitable independent play or movement, so that the two bars may adjust themselves to the form and progressively varying sizes of the hammers, further matters of improvement being involved in certain details hereinafter described. By thus rigidly clamping a series of hammers by a device common to all in such series all of the hammer rods or bars contribute to support and practically reinforce 'the hammer-bar of such one of the Serial No. 49,897. (No model.)

hammers as may be operated upon, as in voicing. The operation is also rendered less fatiguing to the tuner,the hammer is held steadier,whereby it can be more readily voiced,and the work generally facilitated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents in front elevation a series of piano-hammers held in accordance with my invention, the lower portions oi' the hammer- .bars being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a section in line twin Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows the clamping dcvicein elevation. Fig. 4C is a detail view showing a portion of the clamping device in section. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the threaded rod in cross-section and the split nut in end view. Fig. G is a plan view of a portion of the lower clamp-bar, the threaded rod being shown in cross-section. Fig. 7 is a section on line y y, Fig. 6.

A denotes the upper clamp-bar, and B the lower clamp-bar, which said bars are in Figs. l and 2 shown applied to a number of pianohammers C, so as to hold them rigidly in series. The piano-hammers shown are constructed as usual-that is to say, each keyis formed by a pad C', Fig. 2, fitted to the head D of a vibrating hammer-bar D. Vhenthe pads or hammers become compacted by use, it is necessary to voice them, and this is effected by inserting a suitable needle through the pad, so as to thereby loosen up the material of which it is composed.

The clamp-bars A B are each concave in cross-section and arranged with their concave faces relatively opposite, as in Fig. 2, by which formation and arrangement the clampbars are provided with gripping edges, which readily and accuratety engage the curved surfaces of the hammers. The clamp-bars are connected by a threaded rod E, arranged midway of their ends and serving to provide an articulated connection, which permits the bars to adjust themselves with reference to the form and successively varying sizes of a set of hammers, as in Fig. l, and also serving to provide a rigid connection between the clamp-bars when the adjustable tighteningup means, hereinafter described, is adjusted for such purpose.

In order to detachably connect the lower clamp-bar with the rod E, said bar is pro- IOC.

vided with a recess b, Fig. 7, and a spring'F, arranged within the same. The concave side of the clamp-bar B is somewhat raised over said recess, as at b', and through this raised portion is formed an opening b2, Fig. 6, having lateral enlargements b3, the central opening b2 in such case being adapted for theentrance and exit of the stem E, and thelateral enlargements b3 of `such, opening being adapted to in like manner permit the passage of lateral lugs e on the stem. rangement the stem can be inserted through said opening and pressed against the spring E to an extent to permit the lugs on the stem to pass through the lateral enlargements b3 of the opening, after which the stem can be turned, so as to place its lugs out of register with `the lateral enlargements b3 and having such lugs in engagement with the top wall of the recess b, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and full lines in Fig.. 7*. The spring F, which is secured" to the clamp-barv B, .presses up against the stem E and serves to maintain .the clamp-bar in position relatively to the stem, to maintain the interlockingcond'ition of such members, as shown in Fig. 7, and at the same timev4 permit the bar to adjust itself to the hammers, as in. Fig. l. In order to release the clamp-bar B from the stem, it'will 'only be necessary to slightly depress the stem and give it a quarter-turn, so as to bring its lugs in 1'egisterwith lateral enlargements b3 of the opening, after which the stem can be withdrawn from the clampbar or the latter removed from the stem. l

The foregoing-described interlocking connection between the stemand the clamp-bar B practically provides the clamp-bar with a keyhole and adapts thev end of the stem to form a key, which can be inserted through the keyhole and then given a slight turn, so as to cause it to interlock with the clamp-bar. Ilhe spring is also so arranged that when'the end of the stem is inserted through the keyhole it engages and iexes the spring, which acts against the spring with a yielding spring resistance, tending to maintain the clampbar in position and at the same time yielding to allow the clamp-bar to adjust itselt' to the piano-hammers.

The stem E also passes through an opening ct, Fig; 4, in the upper clamp-bar A, which said opening is large enough to permit the clamp-bar to adjust itself to the hammers. Said stem is provided above the clamp-bar A with an externally tapered or conical sleeve G and a longitudinally-divided nut H. The sleeve G has a tapered seat in its upper portion, and the lower end of the nut is tapered, so as to wedge within such opening, so that when the sleeve G is lowered upon clamp-bar A, as in Fig. 4, and the divided nut brought down, so as to cause its lower end to wedge within the sleeve, the two portions of the nut will clamp and engage the threaded stem, and thereby permit rotation of the nut to move the bar A downwardly on the stem to and ex- By such arthe lower clamp-bar, so as to clamp the latter against the lower side of the hammers; The two parts of the nut referred to can be con nected together by a yielding connection in any-'suitable way-as, for example, one part `of the nut may have a slotted lug hand the other part have aprojection arranged to engage in the slotted lug. v v

When a series of hammers are clamped, as

in Fig. l, the clamp-bars, which are self-adjusting with reference to the different sizes of hammers, converge, as illustrated, and are firmly clamped upon the hammers by means of the adjusting connection between them, itV being seen that .the threaded ste/m in such case passes between two ofthe ha'm mers at the middle of the series clamped by thebars. When thehammers are thus rigidly tied to-v gether. in series, ythework of voicing such hammers will be rendered Va comparatively easy matter and .the voicing operation can be`v eiectively and expeditiouslyperformed.v

The clamp.- bars, particularly. the" upper clamp-bar, also provide a gage or guide for4 the needle, and owing' to the fact that such'H bars are self-adjusting and also adapted by' reason of their gripping edges to be set fo'r' Y ward or rearwardly., as may-be desired, 'such gage or guide can be positioned with refer-v f ence to thepoint whereit is desired to force a needle iin. the hammer-pad.

What I claim as my invention .is-

l. A device for use in voicing piano-hammers, comprising a pair of clamp-bars respectively adapted for engagingv the upper and the lower sides o'f a series of piano-hammers, and an adjustable connection between the clamp-bars adapted to cause them to rigidly tie together the hammers in series; said clampbars being also relatively self-adjustable in directions to permit them when applied to a series of keys to assume positions in planesconverging from one to the other end of the clamp with reference to the diminishing sizes of the hammers.

2. A device for use in voicing piano-hammers comprising a pair of oppositely-arranged clamp-bars adapted to respectively engage the upper and lower sides of a series of such hammers; a threaded stem connected with one clampbar; and a nut adj ustably arrangedy on the end portion of the threaded stem which projects from one of said clampbars; the clamp-bars being adjustable inde- IOC IIO

pendently of the stem with reference to the varying sizes of hammers in a series tied together' by said clamp-bars.

3. A device for use in voicing piano-hammers, comprisinga pairof clamp-bars adapted to respectively engage the upper and lower sides of a series of hammers; and connecting meansadapted for clamping said clamp-bars upon the hammers and involving a stem which detachably interlocks with one clampbar and extends through an opening in the other clamp-bar, and a clamping-nut upon the threaded end portion of the stem which projects from said last-mentioned clamp-bar.

4f. A device for use in voicing piano-hammers, comprising a pair of clamp-bars adapted 'to respectively engage the upper and lower sides of a series of hammers; a stem connected with the middle portion of one clamp-bar and passing through an opening in the middle portion of the other clamp-bar and having its threaded end portion projecting outwardly therefrom; and a clamp-nut arranged for adjustment upon such projecting end portion of the stem; the clamp-bars being self-adjusting independently of the stein and with reference to the form and size of the hammers.

5. A device for use in voicing piano-hainmers, comprising a pair of clamp-bars respectively adapted for engaging the upper and lower sides of a series of hammers; a stem connected with one clamp-bar and passing through an opening in the other clamp-bar having its threaded end portion projecting therefrom; a sleeve arranged upon the projecting end portion of the stem and havinga tapered seat or recess; and a divided nut also arranged upon such projecting end portion of the stem and having a tapered end portion arranged to engage and wedge within the tapered seat or recess in the sleeve, for the purpose set forth.

6. Adevice for voicingpiano-hammers comprising a pair of clampbars respectively adapted to engage the upper and lower side of a series of such hammers; a threaded stem connected with one clamp-bar and extending through and projecting outwardly from an opening in the other clamp-bar; a tapered socket through which the projecting portion of the stem passes; and a longitudinally-divided nut arranged upon such projecting portion of the stem and having a tapered end portion arranged to enter and wedge within said tapered socket, for the purpose set forth.

7. Y A device for voicing piano-hammers,com prising a pair of clamp -bars respectively adapted to engage the upper and lower sides of a series of such hammers; a stem interlocked with one clamp bar and passing through an opening in the other clamp-bar; and means for adjusting the last-mentioned clamp-bar along the stem; the clamp-bar with which the stem interlocks being provided with a keyhole for the admission of the end of the stem which is adapted to form a key whereby after entrance through such keyhole, a turn on the part of the stem will cause it to interlock with the clamp-bar; and a spring which is engaged and iiexed by the stein when the latter enters said keyhole for the purpose set forth.

HENRY E. FIN NEY. Witnesses:

CHARLES G. PAGE, OTTIME C. FRIEBERG. 

